Two Malta-Gozo Tunnel Bidders File Appeal Following Exclusion From Project Shortlist
Two consortia vying for the contract to design and construct the proposed tunnel between Malta and Gozo have filed appeals against the decision to exclude them from the project’s tendering process.
Earlier this month it was announced that only one out of four bidders that expressed interest in the project had been shortlisted by Infrastructure Malta.
The consortium selected is made up of five companies – UK-based Equitix, Japanese company Itochu, the French Egis and Turkish companies Yapi Merkezi and Makyol.
An appeal has now been filed with the Public Contracts Review Board by two other bidders for the project – Malta-Gozo Fixed Link Limited, which is fronted by Luke Chetcuti, and CGYI Malta-Gozo Consortium, which includes China Communications Constructions Co.
The latter company had carried out a study on behalf of the Maltese government, exploring the feasibility of undertaking such a project.
Malta-Gozo Fixed Link is accusing authorities of failing to adhere to the procedures indicated in its pre-qualification questionnaire. This, it claims, led to irregularities in the competitive process.
It also argued that the reasons it had been disqualified were unfounded “in fact and law”.
Meanwhile, GCYI Malta Gozo Consortium referred to a typographical error in one of the documents presented to it, which was the direct cause of its disqualification.
The tendering process for the project began in 2018.
The project is a divisive one among the population with the latest survey showing that 41.6% of the population are in favour of the tunnel, while 37.7% are against.
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